Page 11 of Brazen Rogue
Whatever was necessary.
"I'm very sorry," he said. "Let me take care of your debts, so you may travel to America sooner than planned." It was the least he could do, even though he did not want her to leave.
She threw him a curious look, and he could see the question behind her inquisitive blue eyes. "But, if I'm to depart earlier, my lord, that will leave you without a governess, and that would not be fair to Lady Alice."
He leaned forward on his desk, drinking in the vision of her. She was so pretty, her hair down for the evening, lying over her slender shoulders. A shawl sat over her arms; she was a vision, one he wished could be his. "May I speak frankly, Miss Hall?" he asked her.
She nodded and bit her lip, sending a frisson of heat to lick along his spine. The reaction reminded him what he was about to say, although hard, was for the best. For them both.
"Miss Hall, while I think it is marvelous that you're teaching my daughter, there is a history between us. One, I believe you feel as I do, even now, and I fear it could morph into a situation that is not acceptable in our dissimilar social structures."
Miss Hall's eyes flew wide, but she did not deny his words. She sat unmoving. The only telltale sign she understood his meaning was her labored breaths that made her breasts rise and fall against her gown. He glanced down at his desk, fighting to keep himself from going to her. To wrap her up in his arms and kiss her sweet, delectable lips one more time. To tell her to hell with what society would think and make her his anyway.
"My wife passed two years ago somewhere in Spain, and I have the right to remarry, but there are rules that must be obliged. For my daughter's sake more than my own." He met her eyes and hated himself for what he was about to say. "Had I returned to London, and you had been there enjoying another Season, there is no denying that I would have pursued you, and I would have won you, I'm certain of it. But that is not what has occurred. You have taken on a position of employment in my home as a governess.
“Our social spheres are even more conspicuous than they were several years ago, and I cannot allow any more scandal to assault the Lupton-Gage name. My daughter deserves to have a Season when the time comes and have no shadow following her slippered feet. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. Why I think it is best that when you're financially able, you will take the opportunity to start a new life elsewhere."
She stood, and her chair scooted backward at the force. She clung to her book as if it were a shield, and perhaps it was in a way. Bellamy stood, wishing things could be different, but they were not. They had been dealt a bad hand, and now they had to play it.
"I did not come here to taunt you with my presence or give myself hope that you would look upon me with favor and ask for my hand. If you believe that is the case, I shall leave first thing in the morning. I did not even know this was your estate," she argued.
"No, I do not believe that," he said, lifting his hand to still the panic he could hear rising in her tone. "I'm saying out loud to you here now, because I respect you too much not to, that I find you as attractive as the day we met, and having you under my roof is an allure that I will not be able to deny myself forever. That you are saving, that I can help you gain your plans quicker and be free of me, is best for you. I can no longer offer you marriage, Miss Hall. The circumstances of your life make it so, but I also do not want to seduce you or ruin what reputation you have left merely to slake my lust. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but there is no other way to say what I must."
She gaped at him, and her eyes burned with temper. "You forget, my lord. There is another element to your inability to keep your hands to yourself, and that is me. I no sooner wish to be ruined than you wish to ruin me, and I shall never allow it. But I will, as you so kindly offered, accept your gift to pay off my debts in Grafton and London so I shall be able to leave. Sooner rather than later, as you say. I think is best," she said, turning about and striding from the room.
Bellamy ran a hand through his hair and inwardly swore. Well, he had certainly bollocked that all up. Now she hated him, and he never wanted that. God damn fool that he was.
ChapterSix
The next day Reign threw herself into teaching Lady Alice and made a plan as to what she would teach in the following weeks to come. Which, if her calculations were correct, was all the time she required to have enough money to travel to America.
If Lord Lupton-Gage did as he promised and paid off her debts, she would be free of this place and all the longing that rose every time she was around the marquess.
As much as his lordship's words had rattled and vexed her in equal measure last evening, he was correct. There was a simmering under the surface, a burning, unheeded longing that fired between them whenever they were together.
And as much as she would like to deny it, given the opportunity, she would throw herself at his head. Ruination or not have one or several sinful nights in his arms if she could. The very idea of him touching her, pulling her close, teasing her with his wicked mouth and unscrupulous words made her yearn to do just that.
Her lips twitched at the thought.
"Miss Hall, why are you grinning? Is my Latin wrong? Are you laughing at me?" Lady Alice questioned, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Oh no, not at all," Reign said, hugging the little girl quickly to stop the tears that she saw were on the verge of breaking over her sweet cheeks. "I merely cannot believe how well you're doing at such a young age. You'll be proficient with your Latin, too, in no time."
Lady Alice grinned too, happy again before she continued.
Reign tried to concentrate, but she could not help but wonder when her small cottage in Grafton would sell, and she would come into the funds. His lordship’s gift was more significant than he knew, and it would change her life for the better, she hoped.
"Oh, Miss Hall, can you smell that?" Lady Alice said, sniffing the air like a hound.
Reign could not decipher anything out of the ordinary. "No, what is it that you smell?" she asked.
"I think cook is making honey cakes. May I go down to the kitchens? I always know when she's cooking them as the smell comes up through the servant stairs. Please, Miss Hall. Pretty please," the little girl said, jumping up and down on the spot.
Reign closed the book of Latin and nodded. "Of course, you may. I will be in the music room when you've finished your afternoon tea, and we shall commence your music lesson to finish out today's lessons."
"Oh, thank you," the little girl squealed and was gone.
Reign packed up the schoolroom and walked to the window, staring out over the great estate. She could not push aside what his lordship had said to her last evening.
